Radar Station Summary WW II

Recent Page Trail:

When the Air Ministry started to create a network of radar stations immediately prior to the outbreak of war in 1939, pioneered by Robert Watson-Watt, they were assigned to Group areas for administration purposes. RAF Wings were also created in order to control them. The boundaries of RAF Groups, AA Commands and Civil Defence Regions were usually coterminous in order to make defence easier.

Dollarbeg Castle

Scotland came under RAF 13 Group (also being No 11 Civil Defence Region) and No 72 Wing RAF was formed in 1941 to control all radar stations from the Tees in Northern England to the Forth. It was based in Dollarbeg Castle, Dollar, Clackmannanshire (NS97169645), and later transferred stations to No 73 Wing in Newcastle in order to concentrate on controlling all radar stations in Scotland. When 79 Wing was disbanded on June 30, 1943, stations in Ulster were transferred to 72 Wing, which was eventually disbanded on April 15, 1944.

Radar stations evolved from the initial Chain Home equipment to Chain Home Low (CHL) and Chain Home Extra Low (CHEL), as frequency coverage was extended and the radar curtain lowered to try and prevent enemy aircraft sneaking in at low level. Ground Control Intercept (GCI) equipment was later developed to guide RAF fighters to their targets.

The Royal Navy used radar to monitor coastal convoys and any German U-Boats attempting to enter the Atlantic between Orkney and the mainland.

Drone Hill provided long range early warning for the southern Firth of Forth approaches and Edinburgh.

Went out of service on October 16, 1939, due to blown valve, and not repaired until October 17. This allowed a raid by German aircraft of 1/KG30 to penetrate as far as the Forth Bridge, as AA defences were caught unaware. Three warships damaged in the firth and numerous casualties. Now a caravan site.

Greian Head Chain Home Low Radr Station NF6579 0463 Station became operational in 1942. There is also an Accomodation camp 3 km south at Tangusdale.

92a Kendrom, Skye, Highland.

The imposing cliff-top structure between Flodigarry and Kilmaluag is no ancient hill fort but the exoskeleton of RAF Kendram, known by an Air Ministry innocent of Tippex or WP software as RAF Kendrom. This was a Chain Home Low radar station built in the late 1940s as part of an extended network to protect the UK.

The solid stone walls, enclosing a concrete floor, never had a roof. Instead a prefabricated building was erected inside to house radar equipment and operators. The walls seen today protected a timber shed against weather and possible bomb blast. Still to be seen are radio mast anchor points - HF radio being the means by which the station communicated with Stornoway sector station.

Several concrete foundations are visible lower down the slope and by the road is the old generator house. The entire camp extended as far as the Kilmaluag River, where an old pump house now serves as a store. A section of asbestos pipe which carried water to the main site is still visible, if you know where to look. Also extant is the motor pool building and associated concrete plinths.